Fish processing companies in Uganda are facing rough times with some closing business as illegal trade in immature fish continues to take its toll on the sector that fetches the country’s second highest foreign exchange earnings.
In recent years, due to poor and illegal fishing activities, fish processing companies have reduced from 23 to 14.
According to Dr Maggie Kigozi, the investment promotion expert with the United Nations Industrial Development Organsation (UNIDO), the capacity utilisation in the existing fish processors has also drastically taken a tumble.
Speaking at the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) stakeholders’ workshop on fish sustainability last week, the former Uganda Investment Authority executive director said: Capacity utilisation in the existing companies is now at 20-40 per cent. In addition, companies dealing in boats, outboard engines and fishnets are struggling.
An online fish site publication, quoted Fisheries minister Ruth Nankabirwa as saying that Uganda loses $180 million (Shs427 billion) in foreign earnings annually to illegal fishing. The Minister is further quoted to have said: 60 per cent of the fish caught in Uganda is immature.
According to Dr Kigozi, most of the illegal trade products (the immature fish) have ready market in the neighbouring markets of South Sudan, DRC and Rwanda.
Dr Kigozi’s report on fish sustainability and management showed that the use of illegal fishing nets, specifically the gill net and monofilament nets should be regulated. This is perpetuated by usage of illegal fishing gear, which, according to reports is on the rise. This implies that that it will not be long before fish is rendered an endangered specie.
Quoting the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) survey, although the use of gillnet has been slowly dropping from about 90,000 in 2006 to nearly 70,000 two years ago, all is not yet well.
The standards body has no basis to stop the use of illegal fishing nets, depleting immature fish species.
We do not have standards for fishnets, said Mr Paul Walakira, standards Officer at Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). To develop one it will not only be expensive but also take at least three years to be considered as a national standard.
According to the standards officer, unless a by-law is passed now after three years when the fish net national standards is adoptedall the fish could be depleted. And the most affected species, is the Nile perch.
Ms Oliver Mkumbo, an expert in managing illegal fishing with LVFO, recommends that legal fishing gear, including its shapes and sizes be specified so that there shouldn’t be room for illegal gear.
She also suggests that all fishing boats must be licensed. And catching of Nile perch should be after certification. This should be in addition to labeling and registering boats/fishermen whose catch will only be Nile Perch. This is aimed at regulating excessive fishing of Nile Perch.
Meanwhile, the PSFU policy analyst, Moses Ogwal wants the fishing seasons enforced. This will not only help in controlling the depletion but also provide the much needed relief that will allow fish species to regenerate a win-win situation for both the species and the commercial fishermen.